when installing a new drive you have to ensure a few things:
1)compatible with your version of windows
2)compatible with other hardware (once my psu wasn't powerful enough and so 1 didn't work)
3)check jumpers are set correctly
4)plug in...make sure cables are attached securely
5)boot up....check bios reads the drive (if not change settings)
6)use install disk or just use if its working
7)enjoy your new drive

anything you don't understand just say

sounds like it could be the psu......try checking the power rating, there should be a sticker on it saying what it is....let me kno when you find out

get back to me when you can

russ

The pc never got to the bios stage,just a screen informing me that windows did not start correctly and gave me some options one of which was 'start in the last known configuration" but that made no difference either.Surely as there was a cd drive in it b4 then the psu must have been ok??? Regards Terry

well each drive has a different rating

in my case, i was upgrading a 4/5 year old pc from a cd drive to a dvd and it wasn't powerful enough

i dont know though, try googling or waiting till some one else comes up with an idea

russ

What is the exact make & model of DVD drive?

If you were getting to windows options then you were clearing the BIOS POST.

It would be interesting to see if the BIOS is recognising the drive properly.
Do you receive a BIOS summary or just a Logo Screen?
What is the make & model of the computer?

Just to verify: you have the hard drive on the Primary Master? Then Primary slave is empty?
Then the CD on Secondary Master? Then DVD as Secondary slave?

We can check the specs of the DVD drive against your computer specs.
Seeing that everything is OK without this drive; at least we know that this is the basic issue.

Do you know the Wattage of the PSU? Also your RAM is barely enough to run XP.
256 is generally the minimum; although I don't see how this would directly relate to the current problem.

if your bios only displays a logo and no summary (like my emachines) you can still check if the drive is being recognised by pressing del to enter bios setup and look on there

russ